Religious education as the key to democracy: a commitment from Vienna

Religious education as the key to democracy: a commitment from Vienna

On Monday afternoon, an encounter took place in the Vienna City Hall, in which representatives of nine different churches and religious communities came together to confirm that school religious education makes a valuable contribution to democracy. This meeting, which was visited by over 100 people from education policy, school authorities, parent representatives as well as a student and teachers, dealt in detail with the role of religion in the education system and its influence on living together in a plural society.

The participants, including the Catholic Church, the Evangelical Church, the Islamic Faith Community and other relevant religious communities, emphasized how important it is to convey values and basic attitudes that are necessary to live harmoniously in a diverse society.

religious instruction as a guide

One of the central messages of the meeting was that religious instruction offers adolescents orientation in order to take responsibility for themselves and their environment. Prof. Andrea Lehner-Hartmann from the Catholic-Theological Faculty of the University of Vienna said that the lessons should lead to "promoting humanity" and at the same time emphasizing the need for a critical examination of religious issues. It is important to reflect on the extent to which religious traditions and practices could actually serve or may be abused.

The representatives underlined that religion should also be integrated into democratic processes. The formation of critical thinking is a key element in order to recognize whether religious teachings put humanity in the foreground or are only used as ideological tools.

promotion of religious maturity

Another important concern of religious education is to strengthen the pupils in their religious maturity. This means that they are guided to find answers to fundamental questions of faith independently, such as "Where do we come from?" And "What is the meaning of life?". This not only promotes personal faith, but also the ability to respect and understand different beliefs.

The Islamic theologian Prof. Zekirija Sejdini emphasized the relevance of the critical examination of one's own faith and respect for different perspectives in order to be able to deal with the diversity in faith and worldview better. This approach is not only essential for your own spiritual development, but also contributes to social harmony in a pluralistic society.

Sejdini pointed out that religions promote values such as respect, justice and solidarity that are essential for democracy. These values should be anchored as part of the curriculum in schools to help the students understand the various aspects of life.

Another topic was the need to promote “contingency sensitivity”. This means that you are ready to see that a lot could be different than it is currently. Such awareness can help to consider uncertainties as growth opportunities and to be open to new things.

Education City Councilor Christoph Return (Neos) emphasized how important the interreligious dialogue is in Vienna and that there are also challenges in diversity. Religious instruction play a crucial role in the transfer of values that are fundamental to a liberal society.